As the locals will tell you, they came for the winter and stayed for the summer. If you want to enjoy the beauty of Colorado and this area, The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is the place to experience it. This year round destination resort offers limitless outdoor adventure, including unparalleled ski-in/ski-out access on Beaver Creek Mountain and preferred tee times at the private Red Sky Golf Club, which includes two 18-hole championship courses designed by the renowned Tom Fazio and Greg Norman. After a day of activity, The Bachelor Gulch Spa is the ideal place to relax and rejuvenate. The soothing Forbes Four-Star, 21,000 square-foot spa and fitness center features 19 treatment rooms, a co-ed rock-lined grotto with lazy-river hot tub, an integrated wellness program, and both Pilates and yoga studios. All four-legged guests at Beaver Creek’s only dog-friendly resort are welcomed to ‘Bachelor’s Pack’–helmed by the hotel’s resident canines, Saint Bernard ‘Bachelor’ and English Cream Golden Retriever ‘Miner’–with a host of premium services and amenities.
A MOUNTAIN SPA MORNING
The Bachelor Gulch Spa at The Ritz-Carlton offers a unique outdoor wellness experience, “Mountain Spa Mornings,” providing the best in cardiovascular training and nurturing relaxation. “Mountain Spa Mornings” begin daily at 8:00 a.m. and departs from The Bachelor Gulch Spa. Available December through March, this comprehensive wellness experience begins with a 90-minute snowshoe adventure through scenic Bachelor Gulch. Upon return to The Bachelor Gulch Spa, a Private Yoga session and 60-minute Close-to-You Massage completes the winter journey.
Available July through September, this outdoor wellness experience begins at 8:00 a.m. with a 90-minute guided hike through scenic Bachelor Gulch to the historic Anderson’s Cabin. The invigorating morning hike is followed by a rejuvenating outdoor Private Yoga session and culminates with a nurturing 60-minute, outdoor massage at either Anderson’s Cabin or a nature-inspired spa treatment facility.
The outdoor wellness adventure lasts approximately three-and-a-half hours and can be reserved for groups of two to four guests daily.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER PROGRAM
Available exclusively during the summer months, the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch offers guests a unique way to experience one of Colorado’s natural wonders-wildflowers. From wildflower hikes led by resident naturalist Jackie Elder and wildflower infused spa treatments to Garden Cocktail classes in Bachelors Lounge, The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch offers an authentic summer experience for guests of all ages. Whether seeking adventure on the 1,800 acres of pristine terrain or repose and relaxation within the resort’s countless amenities, The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch’s wildflower program provides the perfect summer escape for every type of traveler.
The resort’s Rocky Mountain speakeasy, Bachelors Lounge offers a seasonal Garden Cocktail class, allowing guests to select their fresh herbs and edible wildflowers for their hand crafted specialty drink of the evening. Guests will even learn how to make bitters and simple syrup needed for their wildflower cocktails! They even have a spa treatment called Roaring Rapids – Inspired by white water rafting; this hydrotherapy massage experience includes a relaxing herbal wildflower blend, a wonderful alternative to a hands-on massage.
RITZ KIDS PROGRAM
Immersive and adventurous, The Ritz Kids Program gives children ages 5-12 the ultimate vacation experience through activities centered around adventure, creativity, wellness and the amazing Rocky Mountain landscape. Kids are swept away by everything from coral reefs and forests, to recycling and sustainability, storytelling, art and even food. All programs in their state-licensed facility are guided by knowledgeable and energetic child care professionals who have developed unique activities designed to enhance your child’s stay and create lasting vacation memories.
Looking to get first tracks? What better way than to hire a Ski Nanny. With a 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. drop off and 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. pick up, the ski nanny service is designed to assist parents in transporting their children to and from group ski school lessons which meet in Beaver Creek Village, while allowing parents to still make the most of the ski day. A great way for you to enjoy a BBQ lunch with bison chili, a make your own bloody mary bar, live music and après smores – all while knowing that your children are in good hands, also making the most of their time.
PHOTOGRAPHY CONCIERGE
The Photography Concierge is the only service of its kind in Vail Valley. Guests can enjoy a complimentary 45-minute photo session where you will be able to view and buy your photos within 24 hours of your session. Along with the love you feel and the laughter you see in each photograph, you will also be in one of the most beautiful settings of mountains and fields of wildflowers. The Photography Concierge, allows you to preserve cherished moments and memories for a lifetime.
HISTORIC INSPIRATION FOR THE RITZ-CARLTON BACHELOR GULCH
In the early 1900s – the era of Theodore Roosevelt and the emerging American West – famed architect Robert Reamer designed The Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. The Inn soon became the model for lodges in western North America and eventually inspired the ‘parkitecture’ of spectacular hotels. Until the mid-1930s, grand, historic lodges proliferated in the pioneering West, eventually inspiring the construction of The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch.
From the Ute Indians who originally settled the western valleys of Colorado to the group of bachelors for whom the area is named, the vibrant legends surrounding Bachelor Gulch persist at this Rocky Mountain resort. Much of the lore of Bachelor Gulch centers around seven miners who arrived in the early 1900s: John Anderson, Gunder “Gundy” Berg, Ed Howard, Charley Mays, John Mertz, Ferdinand Smith and Carrothers – a man only recognized by his last name in historical references. The bachelors remained in the area until high-altitude lettuce farming, which found its ideal climate and soil in the area, took root in the 1920s. The venture proved profitable for the new homesteaders until the Great Depression when the farmers were compelled to sell the land, which was used for herding and grazing until the vision of Bachelor Gulch as a resort destination materialized about 40 years later. It soon became the first resort to be built in authentic parkitecture style in over 50 years.
Built with indigenous hewn-timber and stone, The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch captures the essence of the surrounding national forest. With notched and joined massive timber, forged ironwork and stonework, dormer windows, broad sweeping gables, and log balconies, the resort exudes the rustic ambiance of Reamer’s Inn. In grand parkitecture fashion, The Great Room boasts a three-story stone, wood-burning fireplace that is central to the mountain-resort lifestyle. Guest rooms feature large picture windows or a balcony with panoramic views of the breathtaking setting, while design elements such as rustic colors, foliage accents, and oversized, handcrafted furniture evoke the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.
The legends of the bachelors continue to inspire the resort’s décor. The rock-lined walls of The Bachelor Gulch Spa’s signature Grotto are reminiscent of caves found throughout the Rocky Mountains; the seven meeting and hospitality rooms are named for the bachelors and the Raclette dining experience is offered at Anderson’s Cabin, the original homestead of bachelor John Anderson. The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is truly a unique year round destination.
Photography Courtesy The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch